The Fiery History of the Molotov Cocktail
Members of a Territorial Defence unit play checkers with Molotov cocktails while guarding a barricade on the outskirts of eastern Kyiv on March 6, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The cloth wick, which acts as the igniter, is plainly visible.
Molotovs are mostly seen in urban combat, when enemy troops and armored vehicles must often enter handheld-weapons range. Once a target enters range, the wick is lit with a match or cigarette lighter, and the “cocktail” is thrown. Molotovs are ideally hurled by many people at once, saturating a target area and increasing the chances real damage is done.
Once thrown, the bottle breaks on impact, shattering the glass and spreading the liquid within. The fiery wick then ignites the fluid, creating a self-sustaining fire. Against enemy troops on foot, a Molotov cocktail is a terrifying weapon that can cause serious burns. The fire also creates no-go zones where soldiers cannot pass, and the smoke reduces battlefield visibility.
molotov army
U.S. Army
Molotov cocktails are surprisingly good against armored vehicles. Even the most heavily-armored tanks capable of shrugging off anti-tank shells can suffer serious damage from a Molotov cocktail. All tanks have crew hatches, vision slits, exhaust ports, and other apertures. If a Molotov impacts on or near an open aperture, burning liquid can flow through, causing panic, injuries, and even a fire inside the vehicle. The fire creates smoke, which can turn into a choking hazard for the crew and restrict their vision outside the vehicle. Molotovs are also effective when thrown against the grills of air-cooled engines, causing them to catch fire.
Molotov cocktails are often supplemented with thickeners designed to gel the gasoline or other flammable liquid. This allows the fire to stick in place, especially if thrown against a vertical surface. Thickeners include detergent, egg whites, and dishwasher soap. One thickener commonly used in Ukraine is styrofoam, which dissolves on contact with gasoline to create a viscous, syrupy concoction.
Like all improvised weapons, Molotovs are extremely dangerous. Molotovs do not have arming safeties or a reliable fuse, and once the wick is lit, it’s anyone’s guess how long it will take for the contents of the bottle to catch fire. As a consequence, Molotov cocktails should be thrown immediately after being lit. As for throwing, Molotovs should not be tossed overhead: the weight of the liquid can push the wick out, pouring flaming gasoline on anyone underneath.
A Molotov cocktail is not as effective as Ukraine’s own Stugna anti-tank missiles, American-supplied Javelin missiles, or British NLAW anti-tank rockets, all of which are making a substantial dent in Russia’s armored force. But the danger posed by the improvised weapons means an ordinary person with an empty vodka bottle, a dollar’s worth of gasoline, and a match can disable a multi-million dollar tank or armored fighting vehicle. This simplicity means the Molotov will likely persist as a weapon of last resort well into the 21st century—and even beyond.